The long-running storm around NewJeans, ADOR, and former CEO Min Hee-jin shows no signs of slowing down. After Min’s side held a dramatic press conference packed with allegations of fraud and stock manipulation, ADOR has finally responded—briefly, sharply, and with a clear message: take it to court.
The response signals a shift away from public sparring and toward what now looks like an unavoidable legal battle.
ADOR’s response: “Say it in court”
On January 28, ADOR addressed Min Hee-jin’s latest press conference for the first time. Speaking to Maeil Business Star Today, an ADOR representative said that if Min has claims to make, she should do so through the judicial process.
The carefully worded statement makes one thing clear—ADOR has no interest in engaging in press conferences or media rebuttals. From their side, the matter is now squarely a legal one.
What happened at Min Hee-jin’s press conference
Earlier the same day, Min’s legal team held a press conference in Seoul’s Jongno District under a provocative title questioning who was truly responsible for harming K-pop and enabling alleged stock manipulation.
Min herself did not attend. Instead, her case was presented by attorney Kim Sun-woong of Jiam Law Firm.
The conference focused on pushing back against the NewJeans “tampering” allegations that first surfaced in April 2024, when HYBE launched an internal audit into Min’s leadership at ADOR.
Fraud claims shift focus away from Min
According to Kim, what has long been framed as Min Hee-jin attempting to take NewJeans with her was actually a separate fraud and stock manipulation scheme—allegedly carried out by a family member of one NewJeans member, working alongside an external business figure.
The legal team argued that Min had no direct involvement in the alleged manipulation and that the case was deliberately redirected toward her during a period when she was already under pressure.
This claim reignited debate instantly, especially because it directly contradicts HYBE’s long-standing narrative.
How the tampering controversy began
The dispute traces back to 2024, when HYBE accused Min of trying to seize management control of ADOR. Min denied the allegations but was removed from her CEO position months later.
The controversy resurfaced again in January 2025, after Park Jung-kyu, chairman of DAVOLINK, claimed Min had sought his advice on whether she could move NewJeans while discussing a ₩5 billion investment. That statement put the tampering allegations back in the spotlight.
Min’s legal team now says that version of events is misleading.
Was Min willing to give everything up for NewJeans?
One of the more striking claims made at the press conference was that Min had previously attempted to reach a settlement with HYBE that would allow NewJeans to continue their activities uninterrupted.
According to attorney Kim, Min was allegedly willing to give up all her shareholder rights during negotiations. He claimed that during this vulnerable phase, a NewJeans member’s relative—said to have close ties with HYBE leadership—took advantage of the situation and helped construct the narrative that later became the tampering case.
To support this, Kim presented:
- Private messages between Min and a NewJeans member’s uncle
- An audio recording in which Lee Jae-sang allegedly mentioned DAVOLINK before Min knew about the company
- Messages suggesting a HYBE executive’s relative encouraged accusations against Min
Where NewJeans stands now
While ADOR refuses to comment further outside court, Min Hee-jin’s camp appears ready to fight in both legal and public arenas. The situation remains particularly sensitive given that Danielle, a NewJeans member, is also currently engaged in legal action against ADOR.
For now, NewJeans themselves remain silent—caught between corporate conflict, legal strategies, and public speculation.
Final words
ADOR’s response may have been brief, but it was deliberate. By refusing to debate Min Hee-jin’s claims in public, the label is drawing a clear line: the next chapter will be written in court, not at press conferences.
With allegations now pointing in multiple directions—corporate power struggles, family involvement, and financial manipulation—the fallout could reshape not just ADOR’s future, but how K-pop handles internal conflicts altogether. The spotlight, once again, is fixed firmly on NewJeans—whether they want it or not.
